This article is part of our Tennis Picks series.
The Western and Southern Open continues Tuesday in Cincinnati with the conclusion of the first round and beginning of the second. Tuesday's action at the second ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 in as many weeks includes a top women's player looking to build on a winning streak and a seeded player facing a tricky opponent, as well as a trio of Italian men who are poised to avoid the same fate countryman Matteo Berrettini suffered against Frances Tiafoe on Monday night. All Tennis Odds & Lines are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook, but you can sometimes find more favorable odds on some of these matches by checking other mobile sportsbooks such as FanDuel, BetMGM or Caesars.
Both the men's and women's matches at this event will be best of three sets, and the hard courts in Cincinnati are usually among the fastest found at big hard court tournaments. A mix of players' previous hard court results, recent form and stylistic matchups can help pinpoint intriguing betting opportunities, both among favorites likely to cruise to victory and underdogs ready to pull off upsets. The aforementioned underdogs are highlighted in the Upset Alert section, the Lock It In section covers players who can safely be considered overwhelming favorites, while the Value Bet section recommends enticing options in matchups that are considered closer to toss-ups.
Upset Alert
Sorana Cirstea (+370) vs. Belinda Bencic
Cirstea's +370 line sells her chances short here considering that the big-hitting Romanian is capable of controlling play against almost any opponent when she's on her game. While the 11th-ranked Bencic is understandably favored against a player ranked 29 spots below her, their only previous meeting resulted in a straight sets Cirstea win on hard court last year.
Honorable Mention:
Ben Shelton (+140) vs. Lorenzo Sonego
Lock It In
Jannik Sinner (-500) vs. Thanasi Kokkinakis
Sinner looked a little rusty last week in his first hard-court action since March, but the world No. 12 should be in better form here as he looks to build some momentum heading into the US Open. He boasts an outstanding 36-10 record in 2022, including a 17-4 mark on hard courts. Kokkinakis' big serve could allow him to hang around in what will be the first meeting between these two, but Sinner should dominate against the 75th-ranked Aussie once they get into rallies.
Simona Halep (-370) vs. Anastasia Potapova
Coming off a WTA 1000 title in Toronto, Halep should be brimming with confidence heading into her first-round match against Potapova, who lost in qualifying here but got into the draw as a lucky loser after Karolina Muchova pulled out. The 21-year-old Russian is a player on the rise but has only found limited success against top players, with a 3-6 record against top-40 opponents in 2022.
Honorable Mention:
Anna Kalinskaya (-310) vs. Martina Trevisan
Value Bet
Fabio Fognini (+100) vs. Albert Ramos-Vinolas
Prior to winning a couple matches in Montreal last week, Ramos-Vinolas had been winless on hard courts in 2022. The slower conditions north of the border helped mimic the slower clay the Spaniard prefers, but Fognini's game is better suited to the faster pace of the hard courts in Cincinnati. While the enigmatic Italian is far from the most reliable player, he's the much more skilled shot maker between these two veterans, which has helped Fognini establish a 9-2 career head-to-head edge.
Lorenzo Musetti (-165) vs. Borna Coric
Musetti does his best work on slower surfaces, but the 20-year-old Italian still has more than enough game to take care of the 152nd-ranked Coric. After beating a pair of top-90 players in qualifying, the 33rd-ranked Musetti should feel comfortable against an opponent who has gone just 1-5 against top-50 competition in 2022.
Honorable Mention:
Elise Mertens (-155) vs. Anhelina Kalinina
